Compromise moves Del Mar housing plan ahead

Lyndsay Winkley • U-T

In the eleventh hour, and with a notable amount of community involvement, Del Mar’s housing plan is moving forward, with one of its most contentious elements removed.

Last month, the city’s housing element — a document required by law, in part to ensure cities have policies, programs and land-use rules in place to accommodate affordable housing — received vocal criticism from the community because parts of it closely resembled Proposition J, a downtown revitalization plan recently rejected by voters.

The City Council moved earlier this month to postpone the approval process for the housing document, pushing Del Mar right up against a looming state deadline.

But after a series of workshops, the city was able to include housing plan recommendations that reflect not only state requirements, but the community’s vision as well, said Planning and Community Development Director Kathy Garcia.

“Members of the community have stepped up with real concrete suggestions,” she said. “Not just that they didn’t like something, but here’s how we can accomplish goals in a very proactive manner. That’s wonderful.”

While most of the 178-page document remained unaltered, the Housing Element Advisory Committee suggested several community initiatives be added and one highly contentious item to be removed.

First on the chopping block was a proposed zoning regulation that echoed one found in Proposition J. Part of that failed ballot measure addressed affordable housing by increasing density requirements in the downtown area. This was harshly criticized and the housing committee suggested it be removed from the plan entirely.

Instead, the city is including a statute that will consider allowing residential units in the professional commercial zone if affordable units are part of the package.

An updated condominium conversions program, which would allow developers to convert apartments to condominiums if a certain number of affordable units were created, also received criticism.

“I really want you to think about the people you’ll be evicting,” said former Del Mar Mayor, Brooke Eisenberg-Pike. “... You’re throwing people out of the community, it’s not fair.”

While the program remains, an added condition would explore beefed-up relocation benefits for individuals who may be displaced because of the statute.

An ordinance that would increase incentives for adding a second dwelling unit is still being debated.

The Planning Commission meets for a final workshop and possible approval on Jan. 2. The plan will be sent to council on Jan. 14 before being shipped off to the state.